


Happy Together

by starsandsupernovae



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Depressed Tony Stark, M/M, Tony Stark Angst, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 12:38:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12254541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsandsupernovae/pseuds/starsandsupernovae
Summary: Tony has everything, a wonderful boyfriend, amazing friends, and a flourishing company. So why isn't he happy?(just a little ficlet)





	Happy Together

**Author's Note:**

> look, idk, i wrote it all pretty quickly from an anon tumblr prompt but i really hope you enjoy it, please leave a comment, tell me what you thought!

“So Mr Stark,” the reporter leaned in a little towards him, her uncomfortably bright makeup thrown into more intense light. “We've been hearing things about a certain captain, care to comment on the rumors?”  
Tony looked at the camera, flashing a patented Tony Stark smile, all teeth and shine with no sincerity, feeling the muscles in his face move almost without instruction as the lens focused on him.  
“Steve and I are indeed together and very happy together.”   
The words flowed freely, of course they did, Tony told himself, they were happy, Steve was one of the best things that had ever happened to him, he was the world to him, he was happy. He repeated the phrase to himself, over and over endless cycles in his mind until the words had almost lost their meaning, _I am happy._  
But it didn't make it true.  
He got through the interview on automatic, plastic smiles, plastic answers, an interview everyone could be proud of, no unplanned announcements, no classic outburst of opinion.  
He shook hands with the reporter before escaping back down to the depths of his workshop, fielding requests from a myriad of interns and assistants as he went down.  
“Mr. Stark, I need your signature here.”  
“Mr. Stark, I just need you to read this over.”  
“Mr. Stark, I've prepared this report for you.”  
“Mr. Stark, I sent the assessment.”  
“Mr. Stark, you have an appointment tomorrow with the Japanese buyer.”  
He took all the papers numbly, nodding as he passed.  
“Of course, I can do this today.”  
Smile wider, stand taller, after all, he's on top of the world, he's Anthony Edward Stark, his company’s doing well, his suits are so well calibrated and programmed, they could practically fight by themselves, he had great friends, and of course, he had Steve. He loved him, of that much he was sure. It was impossible not to, he was just so him, the sugar to Tony's salt, one of those people who just seemed to never give into the cynicism that seemed to be everywhere, and nowhere more than within himself. It also helped that he was the hottest guy Tony had ever layed eyes on. So of course, he was on top of the world.  
Until he was able to slip, finally into his workshop, where he dropped the papers on the desk before sinking down onto a chair, brushing the tools from it carelessly onto the floor, adding to the mess he was too tired to clean up, or even help the bots clean.  
“Welcome back.” The smooth voice of FRIDAY broke the silence. “Today you have-”  
“I KNOW! I have a million things to do! I know them, I'm going to do them!” The words burst out before Tony could stop them.   
“Perhaps, you should take a small break?” FRIDAY sounded subdued a bit, “I’ll notify Ms Potts and-”  
“No. Don't notify anyone, I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired.” He rubbed his brow and pulled the first paper, trying to make sense of the jumble of words on the paper, reading the same sentence ten times before moving on, skimming before scrawling his name at the bottom, reflecting upon his answer. He was tired, that was it, after all he had only been sleeping about four hours a night. But if he was being real, he knew he wasn't just tired of not sleeping. This wasn't the first time he’d felt like this, tired of doing everything, of doing anything, but doing it all because it was better than the alternative, because he was walking on a tightrope, and the instant he would let himself stop caring, about work, about anything, he would plummet down into the depths, where no one and nothing mattered, including himself. But balancing, walking that tightrope was so hard and he was so, so tired. And he could feel the rope shaking, and his balance slipping.  
“The captain is here.” FRIDAY’s voice was almost muted, as though she knew Tony couldn't handle another thing dropped on him.  
‘Send him in’ Tony didn't say.   
‘I really need to speak with him’ he didn't answer.   
‘I just want to talk to him.’ Never left his mouth.  
“I'm busy.” Came out instead.  
“He won't leave.” FRIDAY reported.  
Tony looked around him, at the mess, at the half finished work.  
“I'm working.”   
“He’s still waiting. He really wants to speak with you.”  
Tony sighed, straightening up, pasting his smile in place as he pulled another report towards him.   
“Send him in.”  
The door opened, and Steve entered, a concerned look on his face.  
“Hey, Steve!” The voice coming from Tony’s voice was at once alien, and horribly familiar, ridiculously cocky and jovial. “Whadaya need? Is there an Iron Man or avengers problem? Or is something wrong-”  
“Tony.” Steve cut him off gently. “How are you doing?”  
“Me? I'm Tony Stark, I got my boyfriend, got my bots, I'm fabulous!” The alien voice continued while inside Tony screamed, raging against the walls he had constructed around himself, holding him back.  
“Tony, you haven't slept properly in ages. You won't speak to me properly, you’re not yourself. This morning, you took everything handed to you. I heard you at the interview, and whoever was speaking to the camera seemed like a nice guy, but he wasn't you. And I don't want anyone but you. Please, Tony, please talk to me.”  
Steve stared down at him, his bright blue eyes, ocean deep, meeting Tony's brown.  
“Whatever's wrong, I promise you, it's going to be okay. You're going to get through this.” He picked up Tony's hand in his own, intertwining their fingers without breaking eye contact. “We’re going to get through this. But you need to talk to me.”  
Tony stilled, everything freezing as he struggled to speak, to push down the persona he had been forcing in public.  
“I…...I don't know what's wrong.” The voice that came was cracked and raw. But it was his.  
“I'm just done, Steve, and I love you, I love being with you, I love Pepper and Rhodey and the whole team and it's not that you all aren't the best because you are, it's just that there’s so….” he struggled for words while Steve waited, listening intently. “just so much..:.everything……and I need to do it, all of it, but I just feel so done with it all. I just want to be done with everything.”  
Tony slumped down after he finished, the twisting of hot fear of Steve’s reaction drowned out in the cool relief of releasing his suppressed feelings, as he felt Steve wrap his arms around him pulling him into a tight embrace.   
“Okay. It’s okay, Tony. We can get through this. You don’t have to do everything. We’re going to get you help, allright?”  
Tony nodded, not trusting himself to speak, almost not trusting himself to hope, that he could heal, that they could learn to be happy. Together.


End file.
